Shadow and Flame
by Shade Burrfoot
Summary: You know what the dwarves awoke in the deep Shadow and Flame. What does this mysterious girl, Shade have to do with Boromir? And what of the shadow magic that she wields
1. The Balrog

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, I hate that fact!  
  
A/N: This all starts out in the Mines of Moria, just as the Fellow Ship realizes that there is more chasing them than Orcs.  
  
Chapter One: The Balrog.  
  
Boom Boom Boom.  
  
The Orcs. Shade realized. Damn they have found something new to chase. Let's just hope that they don't wake up the- Her thoughts where cut off as a loud roar erupted from the floor above her. -Balrog!  
  
Shade too had just been woken from her long slumber, in the Shadows. Those scatter brained Dwarves had awoken her the first time from her millennia long slumber. And so had ensured the wraith of the others they had awoken in the deep. Costing them their lives. There was nothing she could have done to prevent it. The orcs and the Balrog did not bother her but that didn't mean that they listened to her either.  
  
If the Balrog has been awoken, this could prove to be interesting. Shade mused to herself. Lets us go investigate, I do grow tired of waiting around here all the time.  
  
So The Shadow Stalker Shade took of running down the corridor closely followed by the Balrog. She could feel the heat on her back as she ran.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Orcs surrounded the Fellow ship, in the great halls of Moria. They didn't see any way of getting out of it until there was an even louder stranger happening. All the orcs turned tail and ran. They could see the corridor they had just come from and there were red lights on the wall. Something was coming. But what?  
  
Just then A girl came tearing around the corner, yelling "Run you fools! You've awoken more than you can handle!"  
  
The Fellow ship was stunned where had this girl come from and what did she mean. More importantly how had she got here?  
  
"Who are you?!" Aragorn asked as she ran by.  
  
"Your savior! Now Run before I drag you by your ears!"  
  
Gandalf did not look fazed by the remark. "What is coming?"  
  
"A Balrog! You have awoken two of the sleepers! The Balrog and myself, now RUN!" Shade snarled "I cannot make the Balrog sleep when it senses prey!"  
  
Gandalf was shocked; he rounded on the fellow ship. "Run we cannot fight a such a monster!"  
  
"Do you mean her or the thang chasen us?" Pippin piped in.  
  
Shade laughed heartily as they ran. "Both halfling."  
  
They came to the stairs and began to race down them when arrows began to come at them from all sides. Shade lets the elf take care of them at first but when one nearly sliced her ear, she got angry.  
  
"ORCS! YOU DO NOT KNOW WHOM YOU SHOOT AT!" Shade's entire body glowed, white light as she yelled. "I WILL GIVE YOU ONE CHANSE TO RETREAT OR YOU WILL SUFFER A FATE WORSE THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGEN!"  
  
The Orcs not wanting to have anything to do with the strange light that had suddenly appeared out of the gloom did as they were told and left.  
  
"That was amazing!" Legolas said in awe as all the light that had been emitted from this new girl was sucked back into her, and she smiled  
  
"You just have to know how to talk to people." Shade shrugged.  
  
Boromir having heard this chuckled. He liked this woman. Shade snapped her head in the man's direction, who were these people she wondered.  
  
"Who are you people and what are you doing in my territory?" Shade asked. It was time to put this mystery to rest.  
  
"Your territory?!?" Gimli shouted outraged. "My cousin came do to claim our land!"  
  
Shade merely snorted. "My family has been here since time began. "And I nearly that long."  
  
Suddenly Gandalf coughed. "My friends I believe this is an argument best left for later."  
  
Shade and Gimli both nodded and they once again began running down the stairs towards the bridge of Kazad-Dum (A/N: I don't know how to do the ^ thingie)  
  
They would have continued on but there was a break in the rock. Legolas quickly jumped the gap, it was a simple hop for the prince but for the hobbits it was a different matter.  
  
Legolas called out to Gandalf to jump and helped the old man over. Boromir grabbed Merry and Pippin and leapt over himself. Aragorn picked up Sam and tossed him into Gandalf open arms.  
  
"Gimli." Aragorn made to reach for the dwarf but he would not have it.  
  
"Nobody tosses a dwarf!" Gimli snarled and jumped. He landed inches away from the edge that crumbled under the sudden weight.  
  
Legolas's hand shot out and grabbed the only part of the dwarf in reach. His beard.  
  
"Not the beard!" Gimli yelled.  
  
Aragorn made a reach for the girl.  
  
"That won't be necessary." Shade said simply and leapt into the air doing a flip and landing behind a startled Boromir.  
  
"Hello" Shade waved tilting her head to the side and smiling. Boromir smiled right back.  
  
"Hold On!" Shade and Boromir's heads snapped to the side.  
  
Aragorn and Frodo where stuck on a part of the stairs that had separated it's self from the rest of the stairs. "Lean forward!" Aragorn yelled to Frodo. The stairs looked as though they would fall back at any moment, but then slowly, it went forward enough for the two to jump off to safety.  
  
"Very nice!" Shade called clapping her hands.  
  
"Uh-Thank you." Frodo answered confused how was narrowly escaping death 'very nice'?  
  
Suddenly Gandalf raced by yelling "Over the bridge fly!" They all ran towards the bride of Kazad-Dum.  
  
But the Balrog was not far behind them roaring like a mad dog hot on the trail of its prey.  
  
"Damn it you fools! Why did you have to wake the Balrog up! And for that matter why did you wake any of us up! We were happy in our dreams of what once was!" Shade snarled at the group.  
  
"Of what once was?" Frodo asked.  
  
"Of when I was allowed to walk the upper realm in the forests." Shade sighed recalling old memories. "Before I was driven back down here into this accursed place." She throw her arm put and banged the wall beside them that crumpled under the force of her blow leaving a large dish sized dent.  
  
When they had reached the bridge. They sprinted across it hoping to find safety on the other side. But Gandalf stopped in the middle of the bridge spread his feet and faced the Balrog.  
  
"What is that old man doing? Surely he does not believe he can stop the Balrog?" Shade asked pointing towards the old man.  
  
Aragorn turned to her "That is no old man but Gandalf the Grey he is a wizard, one of the highest of his order."  
  
Shade started at this Gandalf the Grey not daring to believe it. She had thought that he would surely have died by now, For she had herd stories of him from her mother when she was little.  
  
Shade could hear Gandalf yelling his voice shook with rage and power as he held out his sword and staff to ward of the great beast. "You shall not pass. I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor! The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun! Go back to the Shadow!!" The Balrog was in plain sight now meters away from Gandalf a fiery ball from hell if there ever was one. He stood three times the height of a man and had a whip made of flame. But Gandalf was not destrbed by this. "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!" And suddenly he brought his staff down braking the bridge and the Balrog fell into the darkness.  
  
Gandalf sighed turned around and smiled, nut the Blarong's whip snaked up.  
  
"Watch out!!" Shade cried and ran forward as the whip grabbed Gandalf's ankle and pulled him down. She managed to reach Gandalf's wrist as he fell over the edge and held on.  
  
Shade saw the pain in the man's eyes for he to knew was about to come. "Fly you fools" Gandalf said as the weight of the Balrog pulled him from her grasp, and was gone.  
  
Shade stared into the darkness for a moment before getting up and turning to face the others. She realized that she did not know any of them and they did not know her, but they had been treating each other like old friends, she would not leave them now. She would venture into the upper world for the first time in one thousand years.  
  
They encountered no more Orcs on the way out, though it did not surprise any of them, after the display the girl had put on they wondered if they would even come out at night.  
  
When they got out all of the hobbits except Frodo fell and began weeping.  
  
Shade to found herself sad even though she did not know Gandalf.  
  
After a time Aragorn turned to the elf and told him to get the hobbits up. Legolas looked shocked.  
  
Boromir rounded on him. "Give them a moment for pity's sake!" He yelled at him.  
  
Aragorn simply looked at him "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs. We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come Boromir. Legolas, Gimli, get them up."  
  
"He is right you know, I may have influence over some of the orcs in Moria but once they are out I can do nothing to stop them save fight them." Then Shade realized that one of the hobbits was missing. "Hey, where did that dark haired halfing go?" She asked Aragorn.  
  
He looked around realizing this also. "Frodo? Frodo!" Then he noticed that Frodo was just at the edge of a rock staring off into the distance. Frodo turned around and a solitary tear ran down his face.  
  
"Oh dear." Shade muttered and walked over to the hobbit. "There, there. It is all right little one." She soothed embracing the hobbit like a mother would a sad child.  
  
"No it isn't I am the one who agreed to go through Moria it was my choice I should not have ever considered Moria. We should have made for the gape of Rohan."  
  
"It is not your fault Frodo! You could never have seen this. You made the best choice you could and that is an honorable thing." Shades wiped the tears from Frodo's eyes and lead him to the others.  
  
A/N: What do you think?? Review please. And yes some introductions will be made in the next chapter. And for those of you who are wondering how she knew Frodo's name.well ARAGORN JUST CALLED IT OUT!!! There that feels better. ^_^ 


	2. The way to Lothlorien

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned LOTR there would have been a tenth member of the fellowship.::looks around:: well there not.you do the math.  
  
A/N: If anyone reads Dragon Lance they will see some similarity between Shade and Tasselhoff Burrfoot.  
  
Chapter 2 The way to Lothlorien  
  
It had been hours sense they had left Moria. The time for weeping was over. And Shade had followed them staying in the back her hands lifted behind her head humming, until finally Boromir couldn't hold it any longer. "Who are you?!?" Boromir yelled turning toward the girl.  
  
"Oh!" She said as if coming out of a trance. "I nearly forgot my name is Shade The Shadow Stalker."  
  
Boromir distinctly heard Gimli chuckle 'Nearly forgot' "Shadow Stalker? You don't look like a shadow stalker." He said surveying her she had brown hair that was cut off at her chin, bright green eyes, she wore a simple brown tunic with matching hunter green slacks with boots made of supple leather. And at her waist was a short sword attached to a leather belt hocked with a silver buckle in the shape of the crescent moon. In truth she looked more like an elf than anything that should be residing in Moria. "I am Boromir, son of Denethor, the Steward of Gondor."  
  
The Elf spoke next "I am Legolas Greenleaf prince of Mirkwood."  
  
Then the dwarf "I am Gimli son of Gloin"  
  
The man "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn."  
  
Then one of the hobbits spoke up. "I'm Pippin this is Merry, Sam, and Frodo" He pointed to each of the hobbits as he nicked off the names. "Frodo here's the ring barr-" Pippin was cut off as Merry slapped a hand over his cousin's mouth.  
  
"Shush we're not supposed to talk about that Pip."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Shade leaned over to them sunddenly interested.  
  
"Oh nothing!" Pippin laughed, he had just freed his mouth from Merry's hand after he had bitten it. Merry was currently blowing on his hand glaring daggers at Pippin.  
  
"We might as well tell her." Frodo sighed glancing at Aragorn who gave him a slight nod. "Its about this." And he reached his hand under his shirt and took out the Ring.  
  
The flash of gold caught Shade's eye. And to the amazement of all everyone the ring lifted it self from Frodo's hand and floated to Shade who snatched it out of the air, held it between two fingers and studied it.  
  
"Its pretty" Shade said simply and ignored the cries of protest and surprise of the Fellowship and slipped it on.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"Humph, from the way you where carrying on I expected something important to happen." She took off the ring and through it at a slightly unnerved Frodo.  
  
"But-but." Frodo stuttered.  
  
"Why she's just like that Bombadil chap!" Pippin said as though it were as plain as day.  
  
"Well so she is." Merry claimed nodding in agreement.  
  
"What in Middle Earth are you two babbling about?" Shade asked puzzled.  
  
Pippin quickly gave an explanation, hoping to get out from under everyone's glares. "When we went through the old Forest on the way to Bree we came across a rather pleasant chap named Tom Bombadil." Merry cut in "He saved us from old man willow! I thought we'd never get out of the tree!" "Right, anyway he took us to his home and he put on the Ring and he didn't disappear and when Shade put on the Ring she didn't disappear ether!" pippin finished gasping for breath.  
  
"Trapped in a tree?!" Legolas gasped "What were you doing-"  
  
Aragorn looked at him and asked a more important questing "How is it you can put on the Ring and not be effected?"  
  
"Should I be effected?" Shade asked curiously "What should happen, then?"  
  
"You should become inviable." Frodo said pointedly.  
  
"Really oh that would be something!" Shade smiled gleefully.  
  
"Perhaps we should tell her our tales." And so they did over the course of an hour.  
  
"So that is what this is all about, may I join you on your quest? I would very much like to walk among the upper realm again." Shade looked to Aragorn who seemed to be the leader.  
  
"I don't think you know what you ask. But if it is your will to continue with us then you may, you may also turn back if you feel you cannot handle it." Aragorn said bowing.  
  
"You are going to let her come?" Boromir shouted "She is a woman surely you should not even consider it!"  
  
"Boromir come over here and say that." Shade's face seemed to shadow over as she said it.  
  
The man tried to get up but found he could not it was as if some unseen hand was holding him down. "What have you done!" He yelled.  
  
"Can't get up can you? That is my power I can do things using thought. Never anything big but small things, if you really wanted to get up you could if you wanted it bad enough. But if you are still not convinced." She turned to Legolas "Would you please shot an arrow start at my forehead? I won't use my powers to stop it."  
  
"On your head be it." Legolas took aim and fired.  
  
Shade caught it inches before it hit and trough it like a small spear it landed beside Boromir's boot.  
  
"Hummm, my aims getting bad."  
  
A/N: Ok so she seems so innocent now but just wait. Hee hee this is going to be good. REVIEW!!! 


	3. The Lady of the wood

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: I don't wanna! _  
  
A/N: I would like some feed back on this please an e-mail, a review, something? Also please excuse my grammar. Tasselhoff, my muse, didn't help me much on this one.  
  
Chapter 3 The Lady of the Woods.  
  
As the company entered Lothlorin Gimli began to grow anxious. Until finally Shade asked "What is the matter?"  
  
The dwarf looked up for they could not look eye to eye. "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell. And are never seen again."  
  
"Really? This could prove interesting." Shade said looking up at the trees. "I haven't been here in over a thousand years, and little has changed." Suddenly she through her arms up and swung herself onto a branch above her.  
  
Legolas followed suit. Then both of their faces fell. "Don't move." Both Legolas and Shade said their faces tight.  
  
The others stopped emditly trusting the site of Legolas and the unknown powers of Shade. But Gimli paid them no heed. "Why? I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox." But he was cut off as an arrow blocked his path. "Oh."  
  
A smug elf came forward "The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark. He would do well to listen to those he counts as friends." He sneered looking at Legolas and Shade both frozen on a branch. "Legolas good to see you and your.charming friend."  
  
"Haldir, good to see you." His tone was dry.  
  
Aragorn wiped around at the name of Haldir. "Haldir of Lórien. Henion aníron, boe ammen i dulu lîn. Boe ammen veriad lîn." (Translation:) Haldir of Lorien. We come here for help. We need your protection.  
  
Gimli tore his eyes away from the arrow still amend at his face. "Aragorn! I told you these woods were perilis! We should go back!"  
  
Haldir sighed and turned in suit to face the dwarf. "You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back. Come. She is waiting." He turned and the others followed him and the troop of elves.  
  
They had to be blindfolded for it was their law that no one should know the way to their city. (A/N: I know it isn't true but I don't feel like typing that whole ordeal)  
  
At length they came to the city and where permitted to take off the blindfolds and what they saw took their breath away. The city was beautiful built around rather than through the trees all elegant and angled perfectly.  
  
They were led into a great pavilion equally as beautiful as the outside promised it to be. And in the center was Galadriel and Celeborn in a great light.  
  
Celeborn strode forward "Eight that there are here, plus one not include in the original company, yet nine there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him."  
  
No one anserd for the grief was still to great for any of them to speak of it and Shade knowing when to be quiet said nothing.  
  
The Lady turned her gaze at Aragorn and guessed what they would not say. "He has fallen into Shadow. The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail to the ruin of all." Galadriel then looked at Boromir who Shade noticed shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "Yet hope remains while the company stays true Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight, you will sleep in peace..." And then she seemed to just notice Shade who was standing in the back wondering what to do when she looked up she realized for the first time who was speaking.  
  
"Galadriel.is it really you?" Shade ran to the front.  
  
"Shade! I haven't seen you in a thousand years, dear child, how is it you came to the company?" Galadriel strode forward and embraced the woman.  
  
"It is a long story I think that would be best told over supper."  
  
A/N: Sorry about the chapter being so short! As I said before my muse ran out. I swear I will strangle that rattle-brained kender!! Grrr.any way review pleeeaaassseee??? I forgot when I first wrote this that the Balrog was both shadow and Flame but.lets just just forget that for now. 


	4. A decision in Lothlorien

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned LOTR then Boromir would not have died but would have come back and been the savior of the white city and done his father proud, good thing I own this Fanfiction. ^_^  
  
A/N: I like so many others used to hate Boromir, yes it is true, too true alas. But I absolutely adored him after his speech to Aragorn in Lothlorien. It is quite moving, and if you still think he's a gay hobbit lover then, I want you to listen to his voice as he cries out 'I am sorry' to Frodo after he tried to take the ring and, his dying speech. Think about this he just wanted what was best for his city, and yes him being a guy he did not listen to reason. I like to think that when he heard the ring talking to him it said 'I know how to save your city' and that did him in so-to-speak. And *_* means someone is thinking.  
  
Chapter three, A desision in Lothlorien.  
  
After they had all eaten their fill they began to turn in. They had told their story to Galadreil and how they ended up with Shade and the fellow ship was again amazed with the girl. As it turned out Shadow Stalker was no mere nickname but a title passed down through a Shade's bloodline. They were immortal, and had the powers that Shade had so kindly displayed to them earlier. But that was not the part that surprised the Fellowship the surprising part was that Shade hated it.  
  
"I hate living in the mines they are so dark, there are plenty of beautiful things found in the deep reaches of the Earth make no mistake" Shade had said looking at Gimli trying not to offend the dwarf in any way. "But I love the forests, the tree's tell their own tales and you can see them just by a glance at them. It's so colorful and bright and warm up here. And after five thousand years under ground plus one thousand asleep, it just gets rather dull." Shade finished heaving a sigh and falling aginst the back of her chair.  
  
Galadriel had looked over at her with a faint smile on her face. "It is good to have you among us again, child."  
  
The strangest thing was on Shade's mind. *What is the matter with Boromir?* Shade thought with a concerne that frighted her, because she had never met a man quite like Boromir in all her six thousand years, she never had.  
  
After supper Boromir had walked off and Shade followed him determined to find out what was the matter but Aragorn found him first.  
  
He walked over and strode forward and stood next to him; Shade quickly followed and sat on the other side of Boromir.  
  
Aragorn put a friendly hand on the man's shoulder and said in a calm voice that would rival that of Elrod's "Take some rest. These borders are well protected."  
  
Boromir looked up at the man then turned to look at Shade who smiled slightly and nodded her agreement. Boromir held Shade in his gaze awhile and, thought for a moment, *I have to be strong for her, I cannot let myself fall victim to the ring. Not while She is still here and close to me.* For Boromir felt odd around this woman he greatly wanted to impress her though he did not know why, not yet. He felt secure around her, he did not feel the need to protect her, she could take care of herself and that's why he liked her.  
  
He looked back at Aragorn and sighed "I will find no rest here. I heard her voice inside my head. She spoke of my father and the fall of Gondor. She said to me, 'Even now there is hope left.' But I cannot see it. It is long since we had any hope." Aragorn sat down next to Boromir and let him continue. "My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing. And then our... our people lose faith. He looks to me to make things right, and I, I would do it. I would see the glory of Gondor restored. Have you ever seen it, Aragorn? The white tower of Ecthelion. Glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver. Its banners caught high in the morning breeze. Have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?"  
  
Aragorn looked at Boromir but his focus was not on him but, on a time long ago lost in the past "I have seen the White City. Long ago."  
  
Boromir looked at Aragorn in a new light, not like he was a leader but, like he was a brother long ago forgotten and now found again "One day, our paths will lead us there. And the tower guard shall take up the call: 'The Lords of Gondor have returned.'"  
  
The second those words left Boromir's mouth Shade realized that this was the man she could spend the rest of her life with. But she would not tell him now, not till she was certain that he would return her feelings. Shade reached out her hand to clasp Boromir's. He looked at her in surprise; Shade grinned at him as he gripped her hand back.  
  
Aragorn had stood up and walked out a few moments before, so Boromir and Shade were alone and could finally talk.  
  
"Why have you followed us?" Boromir asked.  
  
"It seemed interesting but that is not the only reason, I felt drawn to you and the rest of the company. It felt right somehow, like I could finally do something right."  
  
"Are you going to continue with us on the rest of the journey with us?"  
  
"I would follow the Fellowship to the end of this Earth. And now it is my turn to ask you a question." Shade paused considering her words she knew she was about to lean towards a boundary and she did not want to cross it. "Why are you coming Boromir?"  
  
"It was the will of the counc-"  
  
"What is the real reason?"  
  
"I want to find a way to save my city. To give my people hope, to find the power to save them." Sweat had begun to gather on his forehead even though it was pleasantly cool.  
  
"And you think the Ring can do that?" The boundary had been approached.  
  
"No, I know in my heart that it cannot but, it whispers to me 'I know how to save your city, people will be killed, woman and children will be slaughtered if you do not use me' I know it is not true but it draws me to it. It grows harder every day to resist." Boromir had put his face in his hands and sat still.  
  
Shade rapped her arms around the man "I will help you resist, in any way I can, when it whispers to you I want you to tell me. It is not your people who need hope but yourself, believe in yourself, you are the steward of Gondor you do not, shall not, and will never, need ring to do what you set out to do."  
  
Boromir stood up and so did Shade "You are right, Shade, I thank you."  
  
"You are welcome." Shade whispered she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek then turned on her heel and walked of humming to herself. Boromir started after her his hand on his face were she had just kissed him, and thought to himself, Maybe this wont be so hopeless after all.  
  
A/N: What do you think??? I am not good with Romances so I hope this is going well. So any way if you look to your lower left you will see a button that says 'Review' press it.good now tell me what you think. ^_^ Thanks. 


	5. Please remember me...

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: Grrrrrr.arrrghhhh.ummm.I think that covers it.  
  
A/N: Come on people review I stay up all night writing 1 chapter a night and posting them as quick as I can, I have a sucky cow computer so it really hard. I would like a review from every one who reads or.I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND SIC' MY RABID MUTANT HAMSTER ARMY ON YOU!!!  
  
Chapter Five Please remember me.  
  
Saruman sat in his tower thinking. He had seen every thing that had happened in Moria through his Palantìr, who was this girl and what powers did she posses. It was all getting so curious. He had to find out.  
  
A few minutes later Saruman had reached the Orcs and Uruk-hai in the caverns of Isengard. They were putting on armor, and taking weapons. Preparing for a war against men. All the clanking sounded like waves on the rocks in high winds, Saruman could barley hear himself think. But as he reached the edge of the balcony everything became hushed.  
  
"Hunt them down! Do not stop until they are found. You do not know pain, you do not know fear. You will taste man flesh!" Saruman's voice rang out like thunder, and the waves once again came on, battle cries were heard from all directions. Saruman raised his hand and once again all was quiet. "One of the Halflings carries something of great value. And there is a woman who puzzles me and harbors a great power. Bring them and the girl to me alive and unspoiled. Kill the others."  
  
The army of Orcs and Uruk-hai left the caverns, swift and practiced, Saruman mused for a second that they looked like ants, a dozen or two might not bother you but if you fall into a hive, their was no escape.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
After a few days rest it was time to leave. They were taken to the river this time they were not blindfolded so that they could enjoy the splendor of the woods in the morning light. Once there they loaded their gear on the boat and then got in themselves. Shade got into the boat with Boromir and Pippin, in another boat was Gimli, Merry, and Legolas, and in the last boat was Aragorn, Sam, and Frodo would soon join them. But, at the moment he stood on the shore talking with Galadrial, she handed him a glittering vial and the company could just make out her words "Farewell, Frodo Baggins. I give you the light of Earendil, our most beloved star. Namarie." She bent over and kissed Frodo on his forehead, Shade could see Frodo's pail cheeks light up red.  
  
As the boats set out Galadrial stood at the top of a small cliff overlooking the river, her hand out streched in a long farewell. Even though her lips did not move all of the Fellowship heard her speak in her melodic voice "May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out."  
  
They spent hours on the river; every one who could paddle did until it felt as if their arms would fall off their shoulders.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Shade saw shapes moving in the shadow in the trees along the Eastern Shore. Shade quickly turned to Legolas and she cocked her head in the direction of the shapes and mouthed the word Orcs, the elf looked over to were she had directed and nodded, then he repeated Shade's action to Aragorn.  
  
Soon they came to two great statues of once equally great men. They stood proud still guarding the gates of their beloved cities hands out stretched warning all that come of the presence of men.  
  
Aragorn gazed up at them as did everyone who came past them "Frodo. The Argornath. Long have I desired to look upon the Kings of old. My kin." Admeration filled his voice.  
  
But they had no time to stop, and they swiftly rowed away and came to a halt many miles away, on the western shore. Aragorn had heeded the warnings of Shade and Legolas and did not stop on the Eastern Shore, for Orcs were still about.  
  
After they had gotten out of the boats Aragorn made their plan clear "We cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats, and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." He said waving his hand in their general direction.  
  
Gimli grunted "Oh, yes? Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks? And after that, it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands, as far as the eye can see."  
  
"He does have a point Aragorn, one cannot simply walk into Mordor. You should scout around first" Shade put in.  
  
"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf, Mistress Shade."  
  
Gimli was appalled "Recover my... phfwahh..."  
  
Shade laughed at the dwarf "He meant nothing by it Gimli I am sure, we could all use a rest." She said sitting down; Gimli plopped down beside her.  
  
"Recover strength...Pay no heed to that, girl"  
  
"If you say so. But my arms hurt so I think I will rest for a while" Suddenly Merry looked around "Where's Frodo?"  
  
Shade's head swiveled in the direction where she had last seen Boromir and noticed that his shield still lay on the ground but his sword was gone. Aragorn to had noticed this. She got up and walked over to him "I will find them." She whispered and took off melting into the shadows. Aragorn looked in the spot she had just been in. "So she really is a Shadow Stalker."  
  
Shade followed their trail; it was easy to find Boromir was so lost in his madness he left a trial any simple-minded child could follow. She could hear them now, Boromir was shouting "I ask only the strength to save my people!" "Oh, no." Shade muttered and she pushed a new burst of speed, turning her run into a sprint.  
  
She reached the clearing just as Boromir lunged at Frodo; he never made it there. Shade was on top of him pulling him to the ground! Shade looked around struggling to keep Boromir pinned, Frodo was no where to be seen. The Ring, Shade realized "Run Frodo! Find Aragorn, Boromir knows not what he does!" Shade yelled trying to keep her voice straight. It was no easy task keeping a fully-grown trained warrior, mad with rage down. She had no other choice, she slapped Boromir across the face.  
  
As soon as Shade's hand made contact, the shadows in Boromir's eyes left him only to become tears. "S-shade? What, what have I done?" Boromir sobbed  
  
"You did nothing, I stopped you, Frodo has run to find Aragorn, do not worry he is safe." Shade got off of Boromir and the man sat up.  
  
"Shade, I cannot thank you enough for saving me from that madness. I tried to stop but, I could not I was no longer in control."  
  
"It is alright, it does my heart good to know you are now safe."  
  
"Shade?"  
  
"Yes?" She turned to face him. She had only turned her head halfway around, when she felt Boromir's arms encircle her and he kissed her. They're first kiss. "Boromir?"  
  
"I love you!" Boromir blurted out "I could not help myself, I am sorry."  
  
"Don't be." Shade kissed him back egarly "I love you to, Boromir son of Denothor, Steward of Gondor." She tossed her head back and laughed. "How are we going to tell the others? Pippin will be laughing for days!"  
  
"Indeed, that hobbit will be at it for days, I can already see his expression." He suddenly realized for the first time that they had forgotten about the hobbits and what with the Orcs milling about, Shade too realized this.  
  
"You go find the others and I'll look for the hobbits." Boromir said.  
  
"Right. Be careful, love. I want you back in one piece." Shade called running out of the clearing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Aragorn!" Shade yelled as she fought her way through the Orcs. "Where are the Hobbits?"  
  
Aragorn ducked another one of the Orcs futile blows. "Frodo is gone, and Sam with him, I do not know where Merry and Pippin are."  
  
"I'll go look for them, and Boromir is already searching for them, they should not be hard to find." And with that she departed. Taking to the trees instead of the ground as to avoid Orcs."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Aragorn held the Orc at knife point "Who sent you?"  
  
"Sa-Saruman" Came a strangled reply  
  
"Why were you sent?"  
  
"I would never tell you!" The Orc spat in Aragorn's face.  
  
"I will not ask you again." Aragorn said calmly pricking the Orcs neck just enough to draw a small amount of blood.  
  
"We came for the halflings, and a girl.what Saruman wants with the halflings I do not know.but I can guess what he wants with the little beauty." The Orc leered up at Aragorn and let the man's imagination fill in the rest. Aragorn slit the Orcs throat disguised. **I must find Shade and the hobbits** he thought but then.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Suddenly, a trumping sound was heard. **The horn of Gondor! Boromir is in trouble!** Shade raced away, jumping from branch to branch, until she came to an old oak.  
  
She looked down only to see her beloved pinned to a tree by the shoulder. A large Orc looming over him a bow in one hand taking carful aim, to make sure that this would kill the man.  
  
"No!" Shade shouted and jumped down from her tree.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Boromir closed his eyes prepared for death, he thought of Shade, and how he had just told her that he loved her. And now, he was goning to die and, he would never she his love again.  
  
"No!" the shout made the man's eyes spring open. Shade was standing in front of him arms and feet spread, facing him. **Shade No!** His mind screamed!  
  
Twang. The bow snapped and the arrow pierced Shade's abdomen. She cried out in agony and, fell against Boromir who rapped his arms around her.  
  
Shade lay there and to Boromir's surprise she was singing softly, and that only made him cry more for his love.  
  
"Cast your eyes to the ocean, Cast your soul to the sea, And when the dark night seems endless, Please remember me." Shade grunted as something grabbed her "I love you Boromir.remember that." And she fell into blackness.  
  
The big Orc grabbed Shade by her belt and jerked her from Boromir's arms. He tried to hold on but he was pinned to the oak by the shoulder. "No, give her back!" he yelled at the Orc who handed Shade to one of his troops.  
  
The Orc yanked out the arrow and Shade yelled in agony, from the depths of blackness she had fallen into. Then he tossed the girl over his shoulder and ran off.  
  
The Orc walked back and took up his place in front of Boromir again. "No one to save you this time." He laughed. Boromir simply gazed up at the Orc.  
  
Aragorn ran out into the clearing and chopped Lurtz's bow in half, preventing him from shooting Boromir.  
  
They fought in a terrible, beautiful dance, until finally. The Orc made a mistake and Aragorn ended it, one swift swipe and he removed the Orcs head from his shoulders, and ran to Boromir.  
  
"Boromir what happened where are the hobbits, and where is Shade? She should have been here by now." Aragorn said carefully removing the arrow from his friend shoulder.  
  
"They took the halflings I think that they are not dead. And they, they shot Shade and took her from me." Gimli and Legolas entered the clearing and said nothing just listened to Boromir and hung their heads in sorrow. "They tore her from my arms! I could do nothing to help her!" He was sobbing openly now. "I loved her Aragorn and now I know not if she lives."  
  
As he stopped he heard Shade's last words to him before they took her, and realized that Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn heard her words to, faintly just as they had heard Galadrial as they left Lothlorien.  
  
'Cast your eyes to the ocean, Cast your soul to the sea, And when the dark night seems endless, Please remember me. I love you Boromir.remember that.'  
  
A/N: Well? What do you think? I was up all night listening to Loreena McKennitt. And yes that song does belong to her I fit it in as I listened to it. Review all my little Friends, you cannot reisest!! ^_^ 


	6. Orcs who don't listen die.

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: Oh, to hell with you! You know damn well that I don't own LOTR! Why bother! _  
  
A/N: I have decided not to concentrate on Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf and Boromir. But on Merry, Pippin, and Shade. If I get enough reviews (Hint, Hint) that ya'll want to hear about the guys then I'll add their happenings before they all meet up at Isengard. Because I have to go with the book on this, and we all know how long that book is. And this [] means they are talking telepathically. And this ** ** means they are thinking.  
  
Chapter six, Orcs who don't listen die.  
  
Pippin sat down his arms and legs were bound and he was quite confused about the events of the previous hours. The Orcs had captured him, Merry, and Shade. He knew Shade was with them because he had seen her earlier being carried over the shoulder of an Orc.  
  
Unfortunately seeing Shade did little to help the young hobbits spirits. Her outer tunic had been removed, leaving only her inner tunic to protect her from autumns chill, torn in half, and one of those halves had been wrapped about her middle, and was now soaked in blood. Her normally tan skin was deathly pale, and she was shivering from the cold. The other half of the tunic used to bandage the other two hobbits cuts mainly the gash on Merry's head.  
  
Pippin stopped thinking only as two Orcs approached him, one carrying a fully terrified Merry and the other the still unconscious Shade. Their legs and hands where bound as well. Pippin really did not see the point in it; they weren't going anywhere surrounded by Orcs. Merry grunted as he was roughly thrown to the ground.  
  
"Hello Pippin, nice night isn't it?" Merry asked sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, indeed." Pippin answered equally sarcastic, then he turned serious. "Has she been out all day?"  
  
"Yeah, the Orc carrying me was right next to the one carrying Shade." Merry said concerned. "Look at that wound, if I were her I be out for days, well no, if I were her I'd be dead."  
  
Pippin began to struggle at his bond out uselessly " I wish I could get free!"  
  
One of the Orcs walked over snarling "If I had my wish, you'd be dead!" He picked up Pippin bringing his yellow fangs close to the hobbit's face. "I'd make you suffer, you miserable rat!" he threw Pippin down and glared at him, then his eyes traveled over to Shade "Well now, maybe carrying her, won't be such a burden." Several of the Orcs laughed. The Orc crouched down next to Shade.  
  
"Don't you touch her!" Merry and Pippin yelled at the Orc. Struggling to get up.  
  
"Silence!" The Orc growled back at them, he put his hand onto Shade's inner tunic and began to pull it down.  
  
Shade's eyes snapped open "DON'T TOUCH ME ORC!!" She snarled there was so much venom in her voice that Merry and Pippin blinked in surprise, and just like in Moria, her skin glowed white-hot, only this time it had a more physical effect on the enemy. The Orc touching her burst into flames and screamed in agony running around trying to put out the flames, but to no avail only a few moments had passed before the Orc's charred remains lay on the ground.  
  
The other Orcs, looked around at each other baffled, then burst into laughter.  
  
"It is just as well." Claimed one Orc with a deep voice "I have my orders: the prisoners are not to be searched or plundered, alive and as captured; no spoiling."  
  
"Not our orders!" said one rebellious voice. "We have come all the way from the mines of Moria and wish to kill. And we know that girl; she has lived in the mines for five millennia, and is very powerful. We should kill her and the halflings now, while they are weak and return north."  
  
"Then you can wish again," said the deep voice "I am Uglùk. I command. We will return to Isengard by the shortest way, and will follow orders."  
  
"Then we will separate." Growled another voice.  
  
"No, we will stay together!" said Uglùk "I don't trust you. You filthy pig! You've got no guts outside of your own sties. But for us you'd all have run away. We are fighting Uruk-Hia! We injured a great warrior and slowed are enemies down to a walk! We took prisoners. We are servants of Saruman the wise, the White Hand: the Hand that gives us man flesh to eat. We came out of Isengard and led you here and we shall lead you back the way we choose. I am Uglùk. I have spoken."  
  
The Orcs went on quarreling, like this for some time. Until finally, as it is with quarrelling Orcs, all hell broke loose. The Orcs pulled out their weapons and the Northerners began to fight the Isengarders.  
  
One of the Orcs tripped over Pippin, and his sword cut the bonds on his wrists. 'I've got a chance now.' Pippin thought scrambling to make the cords look the way they had when they were tied.  
  
"Put up your weapons fools!" Uglùk bellowed. "As much as I'd love to have you Northerners cut to pecies, we need you for the fight against the white faces. We go the shortest way to Isengard and that is final."  
  
The Rebellious voice still shouted that he was a fool for even thinking it. So promptly Uglùk marched over to the Orc talking and slight his throat in a sure and practiced manner. "That clear?" He said glancing about daring anyone else to say anything. All was silent.  
  
Pippin let the Orcs talk to themsleves and instead focused on Merry and Shade. He was quite conserd for them both.  
  
[Pippin are you alright] Shade's voice rang in Pippin's head **I must be going mad. I am starting to hear things** Pippin thought dazed.  
  
[No Pippin your not, I've opened a telepathic link. I can only do it with those who trust me. You need only to think something I and I can here it. Don't worry it won't be open forever. You can shut me out when you want to.] Shade had not moved at all.  
  
[Oh, well in that case, I'm fine, but how are you that wound round your middle looks really nasty. And how did you do that with that Orc? It was great.]  
  
[Thanks, don't worry I'll live it'll be a little hard to walk though. And for your last question.I have no idea. I can't always control it. That's just the way it is with Shadow Magic.]  
  
[Shadow Magic? Is it like.like Gandalf's magic was.]? Pippin had to stop momentarily he still did not like to talk about Gandalf.  
  
[Yes and no, Shadow Magic runs through the Shadow Stalker's bloodline. You can't always call upon something big like that. Now something small like telepathy is easy. Big things come with a need, not a want.]  
  
[Ah, I see so Shadow Magic cannot be used for evil.]  
  
[Precisely, everyone thought Shadow Magic was evil, just because of it's name, so the towns people killed my parents and got a mage to curse me so I'd sleep in the shadows of Moria, where I apparently me and my Shadow Magic belonged, for one thousand years. I do not know how I was awoken the first time, but after all the dwarves were killed I fell back asleep. I did not mean to, it just happened. Shadow magic faded out of history and into legend, and I was known now as a fable, The Legendary Sleepers of Shadow and Flame. The Balrog was the Flame and I the Shadow.]  
  
[Oh dear, that must have been awful.]  
  
[Yes, but it is over now.] Shade glanced over at Merry. [Is he all right that gash on his head looks awful?]  
  
[Good old Merry? Naw he'll be fine.]  
  
Uglùk shouted at them "Get the prisoners up!"  
  
An Orc seized Pippin like a sack, put his head between his 'tied' hands, grabbed his arms and dragged them down until, Pippin's face was crushed against it's neck; then it jolted off with him. Another treated Merry the same way. The Orc's clawlike hand gripped Pippin's arms like iron; the nails bit into him. He shut his eyes and slipped back into evil dreams.  
  
~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
**Poor Pippin** Shade thought glaring at the Orcs. None of them wanted to touch her.  
  
"What do we do with her?" One of the closer Orcs asked Uglùk. "No one wants to touch her after what she did to Gòrbash."  
  
"Knock her out then. It is obvious that she can't do a thing when shes not awake." He answered simply.  
  
**Fools I'll never give them a chan-** her thoughts where cut off as one Orc approached her from behind and hit her at the base of the neck with the handle of his sword.  
  
A/N: I thought it was important to give a little background info. And I am pleased (some what) to say, that I have got no flames, as of yet. I do however think flames are funny so if you don't like my story feel free to make my computer burn. ^_^ Now, please Review! 


	7. Don't worry I'll catch up with you later...

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: If I give you a dollar will you stop asking me this? O_O  
  
A/N: I am grounded! Off of the computer for 1 week so this won't be posted for awhile. Sorry. Well any way the main concentrations on characters are Shade and Pippin. I am sorry all you Merry fans but I don't know too much about him so he'll be there just not that much, sorry again. And the reason I'm using Pippin so much it's because the first part of the book is concentrated on him, and it's a lot easier.  
  
Chapter seven, Don't worry I'll catch up with you later, go on.  
  
When Pippin awoke he was lying on the ground again, it was early night, but the slim moon was falling westward. They were on the edge of a cliff that look out over a sea if pale mist. There was the sound of falling water nearby.  
  
Pippin heard the Orcs yelling nearby, something about shooting a white- faced scout that got away.  
  
[Yes now we've got a chance] He thought to Shade who was just set down next to him.  
  
[Hopefully] Shade said dryly, she sounded all but hopeful. She leaned forward drew her knees up to her chest and set her head on her knees. Then Pippin noticed the huge bruise that had formed at the base of her neck; he could only see it because her brown hair was so short  
  
[Good lord! Shade, how did you get that?!]  
  
[Oh, the Orcs didn't want to carry me when I was conscious, can you tell? It'll make a great story when we get back.] She flashed him a grin.  
  
Pippin grinned back [I can see it now, meet Shade the Orc burning wonder. They'll be talking about in the Shire for years. I'll give them all a full tale.]  
  
A shadow suddenly was cast over Pippin. It was Uglùk. "My lads are tired of lugging you about, you in particular." the Orc jammed his thumb in Shades direction and glared, Shade glared back. "Be helpful now. No crying out, no trying to escape. We have ways of making you pay for tricks, without spoiling you for the master."  
  
He cut the ropes on Pippin's legs and ankles and hauled him up by his hair. Pippin fell down. Uglùk pulled him up again, and Pippin cried out, the Orc hit him across the face.  
  
Shade leaped up and the ropes around her legs snapped, she gave a low feral snarl and threw herself at the Orc shoulders first knocking him down.  
  
[Pippin quickly throw you elven broach down at the tree line! The others are tracking us they might find it!] Shade yelled in his mind.  
  
The broach, Pippin realized was one of the only things the Orcs hadn't taken. He raced off towards the tree line; glancing back at Shade who was using her still tied hands as one like the spiked maces he'd seen in Rivendell's armory. Bringing them up fast and swift, at an Orcs jaw, even from the distance Pippin could hear the crack of bone.  
  
He reached the tree line and threw down the broach, for good measure he stamped his foot next to it, hoping that Aragorn would find the print.  
  
Pippin turned around, and was over taken by three Orcs, who picked him up and dragged him back to their camp.  
  
Two other Orcs held Shade on the ground on her knees each of them had a cloth rapped around their hands. Pippin could see a faint glow on Shade's skin. He also saw several piles of ashes around the area. Shade's head was dropping slightly she was semiconscious.  
  
**That's it.** Pippin thought ** They have to touch her. Skin to skin, I didn't think Orcs were that clever.**  
  
Pippin would have smiled had it not been for Uglùk who came up behind her carrying whip. His blood froze and he felt the blood drain from his face.  
  
"You'll see now halflings, what happens to you when you disobey me." He raised the whip high.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
What was happening? Shade thought. Wait, Pippin, she glanced around Pippin was white faced. His green eyes where wide with fear. Why?  
  
What was holding her down? She looked around two Orcs were holding her arms at her sides, cloths separated their skin from hers. That's right, they had found the loophole, in her fire skin charm.  
  
Why was Pippin so afraid? She looked at the ground. The torchlight created abstract shadow, which Shade could read, with a fare amount of skill.  
  
Someone was behind her. But who, he's got something in his hand. What is it? Wait I recognize that shape, it's a whip. Shade sobered instantly, then wished she hadn't.  
  
Crack. The first strike burned but not as much as the others would her skin would not be raw for at least three strikes.  
  
She would not cry out or shed one tear in front of these beasts. After five strikes the pain really set in.  
  
There were ten lashes with a second of space in between to give the pain time to set in before the next. After it was over her back was on open sore. The two Orcs holding her threw her on her stomach. Uglùk marched over and put one foot on her back, and ground it in.  
  
Shade grunted she could hear Pippin and Merry sobbing at him to leave her alone.  
  
"Silence you two, if the Master didn't need you so much you'd suffer the same fate." He turned back and looked down at Shade. "Are you going to give up and obey me or must we do this again?"  
  
"Damn you, Orc bastard!" Shade spat out.  
  
"Wench! You would do well to hold your tongue." His boot grounded in deeper. Shade grunted.  
  
"Is that all my grandmother could do worse." It was the biggest bluff she'd ever made, this would probably be the most painful night of her life, and she was amazed she'd stayed conscious this long.  
  
"Oh dear, not had enough had you?" He brought his foot up and slammed it down on her back.  
  
"Ouch! Watch it don't you know how to treat a lady." She could taste her blood in her mouth.  
  
"How to treat a lady?" He circled Shade and came around to her front. "Such a pretty face it would be terrible if something happened to it." Uglùk pulled out his dagger. "Such a shame." He cut Shade's face, from the bottom of her right eye to nearly her chin.  
  
The blood began to seep down her face. "You know, they say scars are a warriors silver, if that's true, I'm now more of a warrior than you'll ever be."  
  
The other Orcs were slightly unnerved by this, if a woman could take this much how would the human men hold out in battle.  
  
Uglùk was furious he kicked Shade as hard as he could in the direction of the hobbits, the blow had caught her hard in the stomach on her arrow wound.  
  
White light danced in front of her eyes when she landed next to the hobbits; she curled into a defensive ball.  
  
Merry and Pippin leaned over her as Uglùk stomped over to her carrying iron shackles. Hoping that they could somehow help her.  
  
"If ropes can't hold you I'll wager these can." He pushed Merry and Pippin off to the side and locked the shackles around her wrists and ankles. " You can still walk and you will."  
  
He signaled for two more of his troops to go to the hobbits and force them to drink from a flask, they resisted at first but then gave in. The Orc method of healing worked fast, and neither of them where troubled by their wounds after words.  
  
But Shade did not get even a meager bit of healing.  
  
"You are easier to handle when you're wounded." Uglùk sated pointing towards her.  
  
"What makes you so sure?" Shade sneered at the Orc.  
  
[Pippin can you still hear me?] Shade asked.  
  
[Yeah, are you all right? Merry and me are scared for you.] When talking telepathically she could feel curtain emotions anger, sadness, happiness, and in this case fear.  
  
Shade didn't want to tell them of her plan. She was trying to get all of the Orcs attention on herself so hopefully they would be forgotten just a little and they could escape.  
  
"Are you sure you're all right?" Pippin said out loud this time.  
  
"I'm fine, Pippin."  
  
"Are you sure?" Merry asked. He hadn't talked to her because she had been silent. Almost the whole time. He did not want to hinder any plans of escape she might have been formulating.  
  
"Absolutely! I've had worse." Shade said cheerfully, she was lying.  
  
"Enough!" Uglùk shouted the whip snaked across Pippins legs, Shade snarled again. "Get up all of you! You'll run!"  
  
They all got up; Shade stretched her arms and legs to see how far they could go. Her legs went about twenty inches apart her arms only went two inches. She tested the iron. It was old, but remarkably strong, she could not break them, even if she was fully healed. She chooses to ignore Uglùk, sort of a holier-than-thou thing.  
  
That suited the Orc just find he was focused on the hobbit Pippin. **She likes him best, I can get her to obey through him**  
  
"I won't forge your little escapade" He snarled at Pippin. "Payment is only put off. Leg it!"  
  
Shade snarled and spat at his feet as he passed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Pippin had any easy time running. Merry had an easy time though a little harder, he had lost a lot of blood, and the drought the Orcs had given him didn't help replenish lost blood, just kept him from losing more.  
  
Shade jogged, then walked, she never ran, her bonds kept her from running. That was the point, she wasn't supposed to run, no chance of escape.  
  
Pippin and Merry where given a stale piece of bread and a strip of dried meat. All Shade got was a piece of bread, which she split and gave to the hobbits. They needed it. She did to but she was too proud to take anything they gave her. It would be her downfall one day, but when is what she had trouble with.  
  
All the while the only thing that kept her going was the hope that Boromir was alive. That he was thinking of her, waiting for her to come back to him. She would, she vowed escape. Maybe not now, but she and the hobbits would get away. She would find Boromir they would go to Gondor. Together again, and she would never lose him. She did not know however that miles away Boromir was making that same vow.  
  
Later they heard thunder in the distance they looked back, and saw men on horses, they were miles and miles back, but they could see the dust from their horses.  
  
The Orcs redoubled their paces. They picked up the hobbits. And once again a sword hilt came down on Shade's neck. That bruise was getting bigger every day. And she was carried away.  
  
Night came and Pippin awoke. The riders had not gotten close enough for battle. Many Orcs had fallen but a full two hundred remained.  
  
They came to a forest. It would have been lovely, autumn was truly setting in and the clashing colors were beautiful.  
  
Uglùk had given a speech to the Orcs something about them being kept alive. When were his speeches not about that?  
  
He only caught the last bit. "Bind their legs! They are not to cry out and not to be rescued."  
  
His order was carried mercilessly. Pippin's legs went numb and he had the sinking suspicion it was the same for Merry. Shade was tossed onto the ground beside Pippin.  
  
[Ouch. Don't they know when to quite; it's getting old.] Shade said trying to raise the hobbit's spirits. It didn't come out right; she was too pale to sickly too every thing. She knew the slashes across her back were infected, most likely from the dirt ground into them by Uglùk's boot. The cut on her face had scabbed over but she knew she would have a scar there.  
  
He would pay. Shade would make sure of it.  
  
Pippin and Merry started to talk something about Lembes. Shade didn't catch all of it. Her mind was a million miles away.  
  
Merry said something about having some in his back pocket. That caught Shade's attention again.  
  
"You won't have to. I've------------"; but a savage kick warned Pippin that the guards were close and were watching.  
  
Shade threw a rock at the Orc. But at an angle so it came from the direction of another Orc. Pippin seeing this did the same. The three Orcs started yelling. Merry, Pippin and Shade smiled their first real smile in three days.  
  
A sudden outcry from the east of the camp showed that something was wrong. It seemed some of the men snuck into the camp killed several Orcs and then slipped back out again. Uglùk dashed off trying to stop a stamped of angry Orcs.  
  
The captives sat up their guards had also ran off with Uglùk. If the hobbits had any hope of escape it was quickly gone when a long hairy arm dragged them off by their necks into the dark. Shade was left behind.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Shade jogged after the Orc who had taken the Hobbits. This was too easy. She hadn't dared to hope that one of the Orcs would be this stupid. When she came to the grove that the Orc had taken the hobbits, she jumped out at the Orc and hit him over the head, he dropped like a stone. She could hear the other Orcs trooping around. Their absence would not remand unnoticed for long.  
  
"Pippin, Merry are you guys able to move?" Shade asked bending over to look at them.  
  
"Yeah we're fine." Pippin separated his hands and rubbed his head and then began to untie his legs, then he helped Merry.  
  
"Pippin how long have your hands been free?"  
  
"Oh, I tried to tell you, but things came up."  
  
"Oh, I see had a date or something I didn't know about."  
  
They laughed for a minute. Then Shade heard the steps get closer.  
  
"Listen you two make for the trees and don't look back." Shade began to shoo the hobbits towards the trees.  
  
"What about you?" Merry asked rubbing his wrists.  
  
"Don't worry I'll catch up with you later, go on."  
  
[No you won't] Pippin said in her mind. He began to cry silently.  
  
[Oh, Pippin. Of course I will.] Even to her it did not sound convincing. [But if by some slim chance I don't, tell Boromir that I'll always love him. I will miss him so much were ever I'm going.]  
  
She hugged Pippin for a moment and cried with him. She knew then that she would not be able to catch up with them, she would be killed or recaptured and taken to Isengard. She turned to Merry "I haven't gotten to know you much, but when we get out of this I want to."  
  
"Sure." Shade hugged Merry. Then the hobbits ran towards the woods and didn't look back.  
  
Shade turned around wiped her tears and raced as fast as her shackles would let her go. She came into the camp and fought like a demon killing a few Orcs wounding many of them until, she was over taken, beaten down and dragged the last few miles to Isengard.  
  
A/N: OOOOOhhhhhh cliffhanger I feel evil! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha! In order for me to update I demand **puts pinkie to the corner of her mouth* one hundred.billion dollars! Or a few reviews. Its you choice, choose wisely. ^_^ 


	8. Motivation

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: Ummmm.the Orcs say I have to do this and.**an Orc pokes her with a pike** Ouch! I don't own LOTR or the Orcs.they want me to tell you that they'll hunt you down and skin you if you don't review **The Orc pokes her again and cries of 'No we didn't! Come from the background.**  
  
A/N: My brain is working double time.who ever says brains can't feel lied! Cause mine sure as Valar can!  
  
Chapter Eight, Motivation.  
  
Shade awoke, she was on a soft bed and her back did not feel as bad. Her face was healed. She knew it was scarred because she could feel the grove in her face and she did not feel at all dirty.  
  
**Wait my arms and legs were free. Maybe the others have found me!** She sat up and opened her eyes and looked around hoping to see Boromir or Aragorn.  
  
She was in a large room on a canopy bed, in a place she had never seen before.  
  
"How the hell did I get here?" She rubbed her head. She noticed she was wearing a new shirt and trousers.  
  
She looked into a dark corner at the far side of the room. There was a old man sitting there arms folded leaning back in his chair.  
  
"So you're awake I expected you to stay out for a week not a few hours."  
  
"Yeah well, my da' always told me to takes life's beatings and ask for more." Shade shrugged. Her back really had stopped hurting.  
  
"Wise words, I've healed you and now you will answer my questions." He walked over and put his hand on her arm. He looked into her eyes as if trying to read her soul.  
  
Shade's skin glowed a little. "Why doesn't my fire skin charm work on you?" She asked looking back at him in general curiosity.  
  
"Why my dear, I thought you would have realized by now. I am Saruman. It won't work on someone of my power."  
  
"Oh, I haven't ever tried my magic on a.what was it 'someone of your power'. Just Orcs and the occasional goblin. Why have you done all this?" She said and gestured around the room. "I won't help you. And you know that Merry and Pippin don't have the ring. So why am I still alive and, healed for that matter?"  
  
" I was aware of that." Saruman sighed. " But you my girl are a curiosity. A ball of mystery I plan to unravel." He tore into her mind, searching for the information he waned, a feet Shade could have learned along with telepathy. But never did, never wanted to. She thought it was one of the most disgusting things a person could do, your mind was the only thing you can retreat to, be truly safe in, to go into it a take that away, was the worst thing someone could do.  
  
Shade fought him; sweat began to gather on her forehead. These were her memories not his. He did not belong in her mind. He fought against her, but her will was greater, she could not let him find out about Frodo or the others. She could not let him learn of her weaknesses, he would use them against her, and she knew that. But he was powerful Gandalf had not lied about that. Will or no, he did manage to grab snatches of her memory, during the time of her greatest emotions. They fought for a nearly a full minute, it felt like an eternity. In the end she won, but not by much if he tried it again she would lose and she knew it.  
  
"I see you are as stubborn as Uglùk said you were." Saruman said wiping his forehead.  
  
"I wouldn't have this if I wasn't." She traced the scar with her finger.  
  
"I must leave I have more pressing matters to attend to, food will be brought up for you. And I suggest you eat it, you haven't eaten in three days am I right? Yes I thought as much, you didn't eat any of the food the Orcs gave you. I'll be back to question you later." He turned to leave.  
  
Shade laid backed, folded her arms behind her head, closed her eyes and laughed. "Why not kill me now, Sa-ru-man?" She hissed his name pronouncing it with a flourish. "You know I'll never tell you anything, so why bother at all?"  
  
"Well, with the proper motivation, I think you'll tell me what I want to know." He raised his hand out and conjured a picture of a man. Shade leaned forward and looked closer, it was Boromir.  
  
"You wouldn't want the man you love to die, do you? I command thousands of Orcs all I have to do is give the order, and." In the picture became bigger and it change. In this new one Boromir was fighting Orcs, whenever he killed one there were ten more to take its place. He was cut apart, torn to ribbons she heard him scream out. "Shade I died because of you. You can still save me if you try."  
  
Shade fell to her knees and put her face in her hands. She looked up a few strands of hair fell across her face. "You monster!" She snarled. "Boromir would never say that, even if I killed him myself!"  
  
"Oh, really what makes you so sure? And what about the others, don't you care about them?" The old wizard turned to look at him, his eyes told her what he was thinking. I have here now, I found her weakness. That must be what he is thinking.  
  
"Yes, I do. But I don't know were the ring is. Frodo left the company, and I don't now were he is, your Orcs captured me before I could find out."  
  
"What?" Saruman asked totally confused.  
  
"You heard me. You've just done yourself in you fool! Because of your Orcs no one knows where he is! He left us and didn't tell us where he was going!" Shade began to laugh, again at the irony of it all. "Because you tried to find the ring you lost it! If you had just let the matter be, every thing would have gone your way. Though if you had never joined Sauron in the first place none of this would of this would have happened."  
  
"Silence!" He used his staff to throw her backed against the wall. Shade hit the wall with a thud, fell to the floor in a heap, then got back to her feet, and brushed herself off.  
  
"I knew it! You know I'm right."  
  
"I don't have time for this, the Ents are on thew move, so if you'll excuse me lady." Saruman turned around his robes billowing behind him as he did and he left, slamming the door behind him. Shade her the lock click.  
  
Shade glared back at the door the started to shout. "SARUMAN WEARS A DRESS! SARUMAN WEARS A DRESS!" She knew from the cry of outrage that he had heard her.  
  
A/N: Tum tu tum tum tums! Weeeellll what do you think?? It getting any good? I am sorry that it is short, the next one'll be longer I promise! I couldn't resist that last part. Sorry to all who are into to serious stuff. But I is not a serious person. ^_^ 


	9. Some men let me out.

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: IDON'TOWNLOTRORANYOFTHECHARACTERSEXCEPTSHADEANDIFYOUSTEALHERWITHOUTASKINGIWI LLGUTYOULIKEAPIGBWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  
  
A/N: I have decided to go a bit funny on this.  
  
Chapter nine, I was let out.  
  
"Uuurrrggghhh!" Shade growled. "There has got to be something in here I an use to pick the lock!"  
  
Shade had combed the whole room what seemed like a thousand times, and still could not find something to pick the lock on the door. Shade stormed over to the bed and sat down facing a full-length mirror on one of the walls.  
  
She looked at her face in the mirror. **I wonder if Boromir will notice this.** She sat and thought of Boromir and what he might be thinking of at that moment, and what of the Orcs had they hurt him, or killed him? Suddenly anger bubbled up in her, she wanted to smash the mirror to break into a million peaces, sharp little peaces that would cover the floor. Then Shade realized that was it! She could break the mirror and us one of its peaces to pick the lock, and get out, hell she could even use one of the peaces as a weapon in case she ran into any Orcs.  
  
She got up and walked over to the mirror balled up her fist and smashed it right in the center. Shards of glass fell like rain, and glittered like diamonds. Shade bent down and selected one of the lager peaces it was about eight inches long and triangular in shape. Perfect for her task at hand.  
  
**Now for the lock. It looks old so I may just be able to pull this off. I wish I had paid more attention to Pippin when he showed me this in Lothlorien.** Shade pressed her ear up against the door, and began her work. It took along time and Shade was beginning to think it was hopeless when she heard the satisfying click of the lock. "Yes!" Shade whispered to herself.  
  
She quietly turned to knob, ever so slowly and opened the door with equal care. There may be guards. Shade stuck her head out and looked around. No guards, that was odd. **Oh well, best not to look a gift horse in the mouth.**  
  
Shade ran down the hallway looking over her shoulder all the while. **Home free!!** She yelled triumphantly in her mind. **Not an Orc in sight. I never though I could have this much luck**  
  
That luck was ill spent however she had run another step before she hit something. Shade flew back and landed hard on her rear looking up she saw what or rather who she ran into, it was Saruman.  
  
"Going somewhere are we?" The wizard asked quizzically. He had his staff though, to Shade it did not look like he needed it.  
  
Shade looked as if she had been struck dumb, she looked at Saruman, then over her shoulder, then back at Saruman. "N-no.of course not.I was let out, by some bad men. They said 'Get out of here.' And I said 'No Saruman wants me to stay here.' They pulled out their swords and told me that if I didn't leave they would kill me." Shade looked up at him eyes wide "I believed them to, so I left to find you, and here you are, so there are some men back there setting people free all willy nilly. You better got check it out." Shade waved her arm in the direction in which she had just run from.  
  
Saruman looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Shade seeing as how excuse did not work. Garbed the man's staff before he could regain his bearings and hit him over the head with it, stunning him, she dropped the staff and ran in the direction of the nearest exit.  
  
**I so dead! Dead dead dead! I gotta get out of here before he gets up!** there were no doors to escape from, though just windows. But when your out of options a window islike a gate way to heaven. Shade stopped at the window she was passing and looked out of it.  
  
She was fifty feet up in the air, there was water below her, and as she looked closer she saw. **Pippin! Merry! And a.tree? Is it moving?** Shade heard a groan from down the corridor, Saruman was getting up.  
  
No other chose, Shade broke the window, and looked down. "Merry, Pippin, weird tree thing! I'm jumping!"  
  
"Shade! What are you doing!" Pippin looked up horrified and surprised at the same time.  
  
"Jumping!" And with that Shade leapt off out of the window aiming for the water below. She straighted out her body, forming a line. The air was rushing past here she could hear Merry and Pippin gasp and then she hit the water.  
  
It was like knives stabbing her. The air was all forced from her lungs and she sank towards the bottom. Shade looked up and could see the shimmering of the light see the surface but she couldn't get to it, it was too far up. She reached up, and a strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to the surface.  
  
Gasping for breath, She lay on her back, soaking wet and freezing. Three forms where above her, one much larger than the others.  
  
"All you all right little one?" The tree thing asked. "I pulled you up, and thought you where dead."  
  
"Oh, well if I am dead, then at least I'm with friends." Shade said coughing up water. "What you guys been up to?" Shade leaned over to Pippin.  
  
"Lots, this is Treebeard, we met him just after we escaped. And he and the other ents, defeated the Orcs and Saruman." Pippin was practically jumping up and down. "We thought you were dead, Shade! What happened?"  
  
"Nothing much, the usual questioning." Shade began to wring her shirt out. "I told him I didn't know, and it was his fault all this happened, and," A glint that would have put Pippins to shame came into her eyes. "That he wears a dress."  
  
Pippin and Merry burst out laughing, and Treebeard gave a chuckle.  
  
"You really said that?" Merry asked trying to support a still laughing Pippin.  
  
"Yup, you should have heard him yell. I thought he was going to kill me." Shade turned to face Treebeard. "So you're an Ent, I was wondering what Saruman was talking about. Well thanks for pulling me out of the water, it would have looked pretty bad if I had escaped Orcs and an evil wizard, only to drown during my getaway."  
  
"Your welcome, Shade, the Hobbits told me of you."  
  
"They did? Nothing too bad I hope."  
  
"Not at all, little one. As a matter of fact it was almost because of you that I was able, to get the other Ents to help me storm Isengard." Treebeard looked at her thoughtfully. "They did not want you be put to a horrible death after helping the hobbits escape. Though judging you daring getaway," He looked up and chuckled alittle to himself "I think don't think we helped."  
  
"Oh, yes you did. There was not an Orc in sight up there. Just Saruman."  
  
"Going to his tower no doubt."  
  
Pippin ran up to her, and tugged on her arm like an over eager child. "The others should be arriving soon, we should go and greet them."  
  
"Yes, your right." Shade walk away thinking of Boromir.  
  
A/N: I hoped you liked it, I sort of went with this picture I had in my mind. I thought it would be funny so I worked it in. REVIEW! 


	10. Reunion

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: PETER PAN'S MY DADDY! **Jumps off of a cliff, and hits the ground with a thud**  
  
A/N: Well I think I've been up for way to long.  
  
Chapter ten, Reunion.  
  
Merry, Pippin, and Shade sat baking in the sun. Shade had eaten a large meal with the hobbits, and her cloths and hair were dry. She would have been happy, if she was not so nervous.  
  
Pippin looked up from his pipe, "Why so jittery, Shade?"  
  
"I get to see Boromir. I hope he is all right, maybe he is not even coming."  
  
"Of course he'll come, I bet he is riding like a mad man just to get here quicker."  
  
Shade paused as an image came into her mind of Boromir riding as Pippin had said, 'like a mad man' his hair billowing out behind him, a crazed look in his eyes."Your right." She hooked her arm over a nearby tree branch and swung her self on top of it. She lay down on the branch and tried o rest. She soon found herself sleeping soundly in the cool autumn air.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The king and all his company came around the bend and got their first glance of what was supposed to be the beautiful Isengard that was now reduced to ruble.  
  
**I hope Shade's not in there** Boromir thought anxiously looking up at the tower, she had been the only thing on his mind during the battles of the previous days.  
  
The group looked towards the archway and the ruined gates. There was a great rubble heap; and on it lay two small figures, one seemed to be asleep, his pipe lay next to him, the other was laying back his hands behind his head blowing out thin wisps of smoke from his pipe. Their where dishes and bottles laying about them as of they had just eaten. And as they looked up they saw a girl sleeping on a branch over head.  
  
"Shade!" Boromir cried and leapt off his horse running towards the pile of rubble.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Shade came out of her sleep when she heard her name. She sat up quickly looking around, and jumped off of the tree. "Boromir?" She saw him running to her the others coming up behind him. "Boromir!" Shade ran to him, they embraced, kissed, and laughed.  
  
"I thought you were dead." Boromir said looking at her.  
  
"It takes more than Orcs, an evil wizard, and a fifty foot fall to kill me." Shade was practically jumping up and down in delight.  
  
"What, was that?" Gimli had reached the two first. Legolas came quickly behind him.  
  
"I'll give you a the tale later, it's just good to see you all again." Shade had a grin a mile wide on her face, as did all of the others.  
  
Legolas eyes darkened, he grabbed Shade's arm and pulled her face close to his and started at it. "How did you get that scare?"  
  
"Oh, that, ummmm..apparently I don't take orders too well, there was this Orc, Uglùk, and..." Shade couldn't finish.  
  
Boromir quickly looked at Shade as well. "An Orc did that to you! I am going to hunt him down and when I find him I'll." He didn't finish he just began to storm towards Isangard.  
  
Gimli grabbed Shade's arm and drug her down to his eye level and then examined a rather uncomfortable Shade's face. "Hold on lad, I'm coming with you." Gimli pulled out his axe and stomped off to join Boromir. Legolas seemed to be the only one among the group; he just stood there and gripped his bow, imaging one of his arrows piercing the skull of the Orc.  
  
"You guys stop! You are being ridicules." She ran and grabbed Boromir and Gimli by their ears and began to drag them back.  
  
"Ridicules are they, I was about to join them myself." The voice came and was a little too familiar.  
  
"Gandalf? Is that you?" Shade turned around slowly and came face to face with Gandalf, who was smiling kindly at her. "Gandalf! Your back!" Shade leapt up and hugged Gandalf as tight as she could. "I thought you were dead!"  
  
Gandalf looked around not sure what to do, he was having trouble breathing because Shade was hugging him a little too tight, so he treated her like he did Frodo and patted her on the head. "I thought so to, I thought so to."  
  
Merry got up and coughed purposefully, all eyes turned to him. "Welcome my lords to Isengard."  
  
Gimli, Legolas, King Theoden, and the Hobbits began to talk about pipe weed. And Shade knowing little of the subject turned back to Gandalf.  
  
"Where's Aragorn? And ummm, who are these other people." Shade said noticing the crowed of riders.  
  
"Aragorn will be coming here shortly, he was scouting at the back, and this." He said gesturing at the head rider, now chatting excitedly with Pippin. "Is king Théoden."  
  
"Oh, well, a pleasure to meet you." Shade said in the direction of the man, she was on her tiptoes and craning her neck to try and see if Aragorn were coming.  
  
"And you too, Shade. I'm sure you will tell us all of your and the Hobbits tale when we are settled?"  
  
"Oh, yes, I'm sorry. I don't want to give the full tale." Shade really did not want to tell them about the scars on her back. If one scar on her face could throw Boromir into this anger, then, well, she didn't want to think about it.  
  
"Why not" Pippin asked. Then he seemed to remember something; he leaned over and whispered something to Gandalf. Gandalf looked grim and nodded, he walked over to Shade.  
  
"Could you turn around?"  
  
"Sure, anyway I can't tell you the whole story because-ACK!" Gandalf had pulled up the back of her shirt.  
  
"Hhhmmm.." The wizard traced the scars with his finger. "Could this be the reason?"  
  
By this time Boromir, Gimli, and Legolas had gathered around her.  
  
"What in the hells!" Boromir glared at the scars on her back. "The same Orc I Gather?"  
  
"I'll separate his head from his shoulders when I see him!" Gimli growled, he thought of Shade as he would a little sister, the same went for Legolas. "Not if I don't take his eyes out first." Legolas pulled out one of his arrows.  
  
"Uh, yeah." Shade felt very awkward, she wasn't used to people fussing over her like this.  
  
"They look like they have been infected Shade. Who healed them?"  
  
"Saruman."  
  
"Saruman!" Arargorn's voice carried over to the group. "What is I here about him-" Aragorn came to a halt as he saw Shade's face and back. Shade grinned at him sheepishly.  
  
"Hello Aragorn, nice day isn't it?"  
  
"I think my dear," Gandalf said as he lowered the back of her shirt. "That you had better give us a FULL account."  
  
Shade sighed and slumped to the ground, she folded her legs and began to relate her tale, with several outbursts from the hoobits.  
  
A/N: What do you think?? I sorry about what I am about to tell you, but my story will be delayed for awhile. I still haven't read the 3rd book. I AM SO ASAMED! So it could take awhile. 


	11. Ohhh elves!

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: Umm...I dunno errr...here is a penny go away.  
  
A/N: I was slightly inspired by a really crazy soccer game I had w/my friend, we called it the wizards soccer game, I was Gandalf and she was Saruman...you get it don't you?  
  
Chapter 11, Ohhh elves!  
  
After Shade had finished her story, Thèoden, Boromir, and every within hearing was laughing so hard they were crying. Gandalf chuckled to himself. Shade had emphasized every thing that she had said to Saruman that seemed funny; trying to hide the whole ordeal with the Orcs, but Pippin being himself took over the story till they had parted company, he gave an account of what had happened to Merry and himself first though. Shade tried to tell them that he was just exaggerating, and it had taken a few minutes to calm Boromir and the others down, Shade had to practically shout the Orc, Ugluk was probably dead already. Most likely killed when the Ents stormed the place. And if he wasn't dead he had probably run away.  
  
But after all was said and done, Thèoden, Gandalf, Shade the hobbits and every one else was given a lunch and a full tore of what was once, the great Isengard.  
  
Through it all Legolas was fascinated by the Ents. He had asked on several occasions about them. Until finally Shade took him to the back of the group and told him about them, or at lest all that she knew, and what Pippin had told her.  
  
"Ents well---Ents are different for one thing. Mainly their eyes, now they stand out." Shade recalled the first time she saw Treebeard from the window of Isengard, how she saw his eyes twinkling from a light that seemed to come from inside them. "Well they reflect their souls. Their wisdom shines out through them; they are truly wondrous creatures. It is only sad that others have not seen them. It is to a shame that future generations might not even hear their songs or legends." Shade finished, and looked at Legolas who was not looking at her but behind her, his mouth was hanging open and his eyes were wide with shock. And then a rumbling voice came from behind her.  
  
"It seems little one, that the Hobbits spoke true of your gift of exaggeration. For that was a most noble description if I have ever heard one." Shade turned around thinking that she would see Treebeard but instead she faced an Ent she had never seen before. "I am called Quickbeam. And tell your elf friend that he might want to close his mouth before a bird comes to nest in it."  
  
Legolas snapped his mouth shut and flushed, his pale face becoming scarlet. "Oh, um well." He stammered.  
  
"He is very pleased to meet you, as am I." Shade said extending her hand, Quickbeam looked at her puzzled then seemed to remember something he reached out his own big hand to shake Shade's small one. Which was true for all ents, Quickbeam's hand nearly doubled Shade's.  
  
"I am glade to meet you to, Shade I believe that's what the hobbits and Treebeard called you."  
  
"Yes. I am beginning to believe that all the Ents know my name."  
  
"Well" Legals who finally recovered his speech, "we should be heading back. The others will be missing us anytime now."  
  
"Yes we should, I really want to see what is to happen to Saruman, I have a bad case of swimmers ear and I want revenge." Legolas began laughed at this, so much so that he lost his footing and fell to the ground. "What it's the truth! Oh elves!" Shade yelled exasperated, she kicked Legolas in the back for emphases. "Do you want to come Quickbeam?"  
  
Quickbeam looked up; he had been chuckling to himself behind his hand. "Oh yes I too want to see what is to happen to the wizard.  
  
So the trio set out to find the rest of the fellowship.  
  
A/N: I am sorry it took so long to get this up, and that its so short. I'm thinking of giving Quickbeam a bigger part in the return of the king. Any way what do you think? 


	12. No Don't! urgh we're dead

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: La! la! la! I can't hear you! la! la! la!  
  
A/N: I'm really sorry about it taking so long to post these but my computer has been screwn' up as of late. Stupid cow comm! I'm going to totally screw with the dialogue in the story, I am going to make Saruman's speech different so if you don't like my story's influence then don't read. And Quickbeam, Shade, and Legolas come onto the others after Wormtounge returned to Saruman and after most of Saruman's speech.  
  
Chapter 12, No Don't! urgh we're dead...  
  
Shade, Legolas, and Quickbeam came onto the group at Orthanc, they could here Saruman's voice "Gandalf you are but a fool to keep company with the likes of these. They are no better than the Orcs you fight, why do you disgrace your name by staying with them?" He continued on but Shade did not hear him all she saw were flashbacks of the groups fighting, Gandalf falling into the darkness, the look on Boromir's face when the re-untied.  
  
Shade stormed forward seething in a rage. She ignored the ghost hands grabbing at her, the voices telling her to stop. She marched right over and stood next to Gandalf hands on her hips. "Saruman! You will listen to what I have to say now."  
  
"And who are you?"  
  
"Oh you remember me, I am that helpless maiden whom you so bravely captured."  
  
"The crazy one who jumped out of the window?" Saruman said in his best mocking tone  
  
"One and the same. But now, on to what I was going to say, you were wrong Saruman. You are the fool! Gandalf is far greater than you will ever be! You command armies who are only loyal to you because they fear you! Well, where are your armies now? They have abandoned you; they only take orders from the Dark Lord. And" Shade raised her eyebrow. "There is one thing that Gandalf never does."  
  
Saruman leaned over the bannister "And what is that?"  
  
"At least he never calls the Dark Lord on his palantìr every time something goes wrong." As soon as Shade had finished everyone was laughing. She spread out her arms and gave a great laugh also. "See how easily your powers crumble oh great Saruman. See how easily your influence is torn to shreds!"  
  
Saruman howled with rage and stormed back into the tower, only to come out again, and throw something at Shade. That some thing hit Shade square in the head, and bounced off. Shade hit the ground like a stone. She was only down for a second, and then she was back up again shaking the blackness out of her head. "Ouch that hurt you bastard! Say what did he throw at me?" Pippin strode forward and handed Shade a helmet. It was onyx with sliver leaves engraved all around it and one line over the top, in between the leaves where eleven runes of protection, and right in the center of the front, back, and sides where emerald's shaped into perfect circles. Shade looked up at Saruman "Hey, thanks! It's really beautiful and it'll protect me from anything else you throw. Now will you come down your acting like a child!"  
  
Gandalf leaned over and whispered " I couldn't have said it better."  
  
"No thank you if you wish to treat with me then come back when you are sober and leave behind those fools you are with, Gandalf. Good day." He turned and left the balcony.  
  
Now it was Gandalf's turn to yell "Come back Saruman, I did not give you leave to go!" And to the amazement of everyone Saruman turned around and walked back as if dragged against his will, back to the iron rail. "If you wish to stay then stay, but you will not stay as you once were. For I am not Gandalf the Grey whom you betrayed, but Gandalf the White, come back from the dead. I cast you from the order and the Council" He raised his arms and spoke slowly in a clear voice. "Saruman you staff is broken." There was a crack and Saruman's staff broke under his hand, causing Saruman to fall to the floor, and the head of his staff fell to the ground at Gandalf's feet. "Go now, back to your madness."  
  
With a cry of anguish Saruman crawled back into the tower. Shade could not help but feel sorry for him. Just as he backed away a heavy shinning thing hurtled down from above. It glanced off the iron rail, and wizzed passed Gandalf's ear. Shade yelped, thrust her new helmet on, and ducked as it flew through the air where a moment ago her head had been. The thing bounced down the stairs and was heading for a pool, but Pippin ran forward and snatched it out of the way in time.  
  
"The murderous rouge!" cried Eomer (A/N: Sorry I don't know how to do the little cap. E^ thingie.)  
  
Gandalf was un-moved. "No that was not thrown by Saruman," he said; "Not even to his knowledge, I think. It came from a window far above. A 'goodbye' from Wormtounge, I fancy. Though ill aimed." Gandalf winked at Shade, who scowled.  
  
Shade could hear Quickbeam rustle uncomfortably behind her. "Oh, I am so sorry I had forgotten you where there. You just, well, you blend in so well."  
  
"It's quite all right I'd have rather been forgotten than have something thrown at me." Quickbeam tilted his head slightly upward, indicating Shade's helmet that was still protecting her head from any more attacks via the air.  
  
"Yes I guess so, but at least I got something out of it, I'll take it as a gift from Saruman, maybe I'll pass it down to my children as a heirloom."  
  
"Oh will you?" Boromir asked slipping his hand into hers.  
  
Shade looked up at Boromir. "Of course our children will need protection from the evils they will face in their battles."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Quickbeam looked puzzled then he shook his head, sighed, and muttered something about humans.  
  
"Here Pippin, I'll take that." Gandalf said as he turned to see Pippin coming up the stairs. He walked down and took the dark globe from the hobbit. "I'll take care of it, it is not a thing Saruman would have liked to cast away."  
  
"But he may have other things to throw." Gimli claimed slapping Shade hard on the back. Shade flew forward at the unexpected blow and just managed to throw her hands out to stop her fall. "Let's go out of a stones throw at lest!"  
  
Shade groaned and rubbed her head, then began to chase Gimli down the stairs.  
  
"I'll get you for that you dwarf!" Shade had picked up rocks and began to throw them at Gimli. "Lets see if you can get out of a stones throw!"  
  
"If you can catch me lass!" Gimli cried looking over his shoulder as he ran away. Showing surprising nimbleness for one his size he did manage to keep out of her reach.  
  
Quickbeam leaned over to Boromir and whispered " Does she do that often?"  
  
"Yes she does." Boromir said looking fondly after Shade, who was now calling for the dwarf's blood by the end of the night.  
  
"It is the end." Gandalf said his eyes twinkling in that way only his do when he is amused. "Let us go."  
  
A/N: What do you think all of this was written spur-of-the-moment so it might not all make sense. REVIEW OR YOU WILL SUFFER A FATE FAR WORSE THAN THAT THE HATH BEEN INFLICTED UPON ME!! Grrrr....^_^ On happier notes I got big plans 4 this weekend. I'm going to buy a hat from Hot Topic. On a side note, Hot Topics prices are too high! I'm just a poor white free lance writer girl, how am I supposed to cope w/High school and high prices on hats! Grrr....again I say grrr... 


	13. Theif?

Shadow and Flame  
  
Disclaimer: ENOUGH! I AM GANDALF AND GANDALF MEANS ME!!  
  
A/N: I'm sorry its taken so long!! Hey I got tickets to see the Two Towers (For the 3rd time!)!! Bought um' off of Fandango (Fanghorn). I'm so smart, I think ahead.  
  
Chapter 13, Thief?!?  
  
Shade, Boromir, Quickbeam, Merry, Pippin, and the rest sat around the campfire. Everyone was in different stages of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, but everyone was hungry. They, meaning Legolas, had caught five rabbits, which Merry was cooking into stew. Aragorn had gone and foraged greens for them to eat, which were also in the stew Shade was sitting next to Boromir with her legs spread out in front of her and leaning back in contempt against a tree.  
  
"So Quickbeam what do you going to do?" Shade asked sleepily, "there are no Ents in the representatives, are you going to fill that gap?"  
  
Quickbeam looked at the girl strangely, "I hadn't given it much thought, would you want me to come along?"  
  
"Sure, sure." Shade gave a loud yawn and her head slide onto Boromir's shoulder. "That would be great, we'd love to have you aboard on our mission. Welcome to the team." And with that she fell asleep.  
  
Gandalf sighed and shook his head. "We would be honored to have you accompany us master Quickbeam, I'm sorry for our companies, haste."  
  
Gimli looked up from skinning one of the rabbits, and chuckled. "And you expected her not to, I think that helmet knocked sense out of her head, rather than into it."  
  
Once again Gandalf shook his head, "How we ever came across her is still a mystery."  
  
Boromir looked down at her, and smooth some of the hair off of her face "And a blessing."  
  
Gimli snorted, "For you maybe."  
  
Legolas just laughed the way only an elf could. Pippin smiled, "If she wasn't so tall I'd say she'd make a fine hobbit, she could even make a Took. Maybe she is a hobbit." Pippin's eyes gleamed with excitement, "Just a tall one!"  
  
"I should hope not!" Gimli gasped, "Two small ones are already driving me insane, I can only dread what one tall one could do!"  
  
"Come on Gimli you know we are growing on you."  
  
"Hobbits! Honestly Gandalf how you put up with them for so long is beyond me!"  
  
Gandalf sighed, "Some hobbits are worse than others." He said casting a meaningful look at Pippin. Pippin just put on an innocent look of curiosity, and glanced around him as if he expected some evil, dark hobbit to jump out of the tree line and start causing mischief.  
  
It was a little while before the stew was done and everyone, with the exception of Quickbeam who waded into a nearby stream, dug into the stew with the ferocity of the wargs. Pippin and Shade tied for eating the most; four bowls each. When Legolas asked Shade how she could eat so much she winked at him and told him that she had to maintain her girlish figure, and the of course fell back asleep against the tree.  
  
"Well let us all get some rest." Aragorn said starting to roll out his bedroll. Who'll take first watch?"  
  
Gandalf merely shrugged and got up and began to get out his bedroll as well. "I think we are all safe here, as safe as one can be in these dark times."  
  
Shade, who had not really been asleep, but merely 'resting' her eyes, opened one eye and said, "Good, because I'm exhausted and if I had a watch tonight, I'd let the Orcs eat you." She got up and walked over to her pack, she got out her bedroll. The group was not sure if she was joking or not. Shade seemed to hesitate before drawing out the helm Saruman had hit her with.  
  
Boromir got up also and stretched, then like everyone else he too got out his bedroll. "Quickbeam, how are you going to sleep?"  
  
"Standing up, of course. I don't understand how you people sleep laying down."  
  
Shade puffed, "Ents!" She said exasperatedly.  
  
**Later that Night.**  
  
Shade sat up, she had been asleep, and was having a very pleasant dream, there had been food in it. But something had woken her up. She flipped off her cover and sat up, glancing around and saw the helm. Strange, she thought, Something is whispering to me on the wind. She picked up the helm, tucked it under her arm and walked to the tree line. On the way she saw Pippin creeping around the camp. Probably looking for more food, Shade thought. Pippin looked up shocked.  
  
"I never saw you, if you never saw me."  
  
"Got it." Pippin nodded.  
  
Then she continued to walk. When she was about a hundred yards into the woods, she stopped glanced around, and put on the helmet. She was plunged into blackness, thrown back into the reaches of her mind. Before her stood an old man, he seemed strangely familiar.  
  
"Saruman, what a strange place to find you? Just in the neighborhood where you?"  
  
He looked up, "Just passing through I assure you. But I wanted to give you something."  
  
Shade winced and rubbed her head under the helmet, "I don't think I can handle anymore of you gifts, and what for? You're on His side."  
  
Saruman sighed, "Most regrettable now that I look back on it, it appears Gandalf was, it pains me to say this, right. But don't tell him I said that!"  
  
Shade shook her head, "Don't worry I know all about pride."  
  
"Well any ways, if I can't redeem myself, I want to at lest help, the helmet you are wearing will protect you, as long as you are wearing it, from arrows and rocks and other things that are thrown through the air."  
  
"I know all about them too. Too much if you ask me."  
  
Saruman chuckled, "I had best be off, I cannot stay this way for long."  
  
"Wait a second!" Shade growled stomping over, Saruman looked bewildered at this.  
  
"Wait for what?"  
  
"This of course!" Shade threw her arms around him in a great hug. Saruman stuttered, no one had ever hugged the great Saruman. He was at a total loss at what to do. "I know what you have been through, I have walked in the darkness. I saved my Boromir from a madness that almost consumed him. There are some things, Saruman, that I can never forgive you for. But I think that you where scared, you where cornered, and were not sure what to do. So you reacted, in the best way that you saw fit. Saruman I know your fear, you are afraid of indecision. Goodbye, and God help you." Saruman disappeared.  
  
"Lass! Are you all right?" Quickbeam was bending over her, looking concerned.  
  
"I am now." Shade whispered at the stars, she had somehow managed to fall on her back. "But why the hell am I so cold?" She sat up and rubbed her arms.  
  
"I don't know, I think you passed out."  
  
"I must have."  
  
Quickbeam started to ask 'What were you doing?' but only got out, "What-" because he was cut off bye a cry from camp. The cry was piercing. The guards leapt down from the banks. All the camp was soon astir. Shade jumped to her feet and started to run to the camp, as did Quickbeam.  
  
"Pippin!" Shade yelled as she reached the camp, Gandalf was kneeling next to him.  
  
"Ah, Shade come here I need your help with this." Gandalf said looking up. "We have a small problem."  
  
Shade knelt down beside him and rested her hand on Pippins head. "Hes' cold! Hes' must have fallen into shadow. Give me a moment and I'll try and call him back, we still have a small mind link." She closed her eyes and concentrated, suddenly the hobbit gave a shudder and cried out, "It is not for you, Saruman!" He began to shrink away from Shade and Gandalf, he struggled to get up and escape. "I will send for it at once. Do you understand? Say just that!" But they both held him gently, but firmly in place.  
  
"Pergegrin Took!" Gandalf said. "Come back!"  
  
The hobbit fell back and reaching out grabbed Shade hand and squeezed as if to make sure she was real. "Forgive me! I think I've done something terrible, please forgive me! I didn't mean to!"  
  
"Forgive you?" Gandalf asked, "First tell me what you have done."  
  
"I took the ball and looked at it." Stammered Pippin, "And I saw things that frightened me."  
  
"What did you see Pippin?" Shade asked. "Don't be frightened the nightmare is over, we are here, you can speak. We cannot ease the pain unless you do." Gandalf nodded his agreement.  
  
Pippin shut his eyes and shivered, "It was horrible. I saw a dark sky and tall battlements, and tiny stars that seemed to strain to be seen. Then the stars went in and out they were cut off by....by things with wings. I think they were very big, but in the glass they looked like mouths flying around a light, just circling. I thought there where nine of them. One of them began to fly straight towards me, getting bigger and bigger. It had horrible-no, no! I can't say." H squeezed Shade's hand a little harder. "I tried to get away because I thought it might fly out of the ball; but when it had covered all of the globe it disappeared. Then He came. He did not speak in words, he just looked and I understood. 'So you have come back? Why have you neglected to report for so long?' I didn't answer. He said: 'Who are you?' I still didn't answer, but it hurt me, and he pressed me so I said: 'A Hobbit." Then he suddenly seemed to see me, and he laughed at me. I hurt like being stabbed with knives. I struggled. But he said: "Wait a moment, we shall meet again soon. Tell Saruman that this is not for him. I will send for it at once. Do you understand? Say just that! Then he gloated over me. It felt like I was falling to pieces. No, no! I can't say anymore. I don't remember anything else."  
  
"Look at me!" Gandalf said.  
  
Pippin looked straight into his eyes. The wizard held his gaze for a moment in silence. Then his face grew gentler and a shadow of a smile appeared. "All right!" He said. "Say no more. You are not lying, as I had feared. But he did not speak long with you. A fool but and honest fool you remain, Peregrin Took. He did not want information only. He wanted you, and quickly so he could take the information out of you in the Dark Tower."  
  
"Don't shudder Pippin." Shade said gently. "If you are going to meddle in the affairs of wizards you must learn to be prepared for such things."  
  
"But come, we forgive you. Be comforted things have not turned out as evilly as they might." He lifted Pippin and carried him to his bed, Shade had to walk beside his because Pippin had not yet let go of her hand. "Lie down and rest! If you feel an itch in your palms again tell me of it. Such things can be cured, but anyway, don't put a lump of rock under my elbow again! Now get some sleep!" And he walked off.  
  
Shade snickered and looked down at him, "So that's what you where doing. Well don't you worry it'll be all right you'll see,"  
  
Pippin yawned slightly. "Will you stay here for awhile, please Shade. I know it sounds childish but I'm afraid of the dark this night."  
  
"Don't worry Pippin I'll stay here with you." Shade said.  
  
And she did.  
  
A/N: I'm sorry it took so long! REVIEW, and I know it's not my best chapter. 


End file.
